1 Million Marchers Take to Streets of France to Protest Against Le Pen

PARIS — More than 1 million people marched through the streets of France on Wednesday in peaceful demonstrations against Jean-Marie Le Pen, the far-right candidate challenging incumbent President Jacques Chirac in Sunday’s runoff election.

The protests were part of the traditional marches held on the May 1 workers’ holiday. But Wednesday’s turnout was far greater than usual and included a broad spectrum of political parties, social activists and families with no particular ideological affiliation.

Le Pen’s surprise success in last month’s first-round election stunned previously apathetic voters, many of whom apparently find his aggressive nationalism unacceptable. Anti-Le Pen events have taken place daily since the 71-year-old former paratrooper won 17% of the vote April 21, eliminating Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin from the presidential race.

Le Pen held his own march Wednesday in Paris, which was guarded by 3,500 extra uniformed riot police, plainclothes officers and police helicopters. He led partisans down the elegant Rue de Rivoli to an equestrian statue of Joan of Arc, the martyred national heroine whose battles against the British make her a favorite symbol of his National Front party.

Scoffing at pollsters who predict an easy victory for the center-right Chirac, Le Pen declared that the working class had broken with an aloof, elitist left, and that he was the workers’ new champion.

“We are here by the tens of thousands to celebrate Joan of Arc and the workers of France,” Le Pen said, though authorities estimated his crowd at about 10,000. Le Pen declared that the “earth is shaking beneath the feet” of Chirac and other establishment politicians.

National Front marchers said their leader had been falsely painted as a fascist demagogue because he speaks the plain, hard truth. Le Pen’s campaign focuses on rising crime, the North African immigrants he blames for it, and the European Union, from which he wants France to withdraw immediately.

“During the campaign I was heartbroken by the media manipulation,” said Jean Pierre, 47. “In the past few years both of my daughters have been assaulted by young men of foreign backgrounds. I’m sick of it. You know the French are not racists. They’ve simply seen too many people exploit the system.”

Acknowledging Le Pen’s slim chances of becoming president, other marchers hoped that his rise would propel the National Front in June’s legislative elections.

A few miles away near the Place de la Bastille, police estimated, 400,000 people took part in the anti-Le Pen march. It was so big that some people followed the crowd on side streets. Along with union members, there were environmental activists, human rights groups and families with children and dogs in tow. Brazilian drummers and Caribbean steel bands provided music.

Other large rallies were held in Lyon, Strasbourg, Lille and Marseille.

In Paris, a sea of signs denounced Le Pen, whose longtime association with fascist, anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant sentiments has been condemned by mainstream politicians. Many banners simply said “No.”

Marchers criticized the voters who stayed away from the polls in record numbers last month, a key factor allowing Le Pen to finish ahead of Jospin.

“I think the true problem is among the people who didn’t bother to vote,” said a 31-year-old unemployed man who identified himself only as Sebastien. He plans to vote for Chirac, although he voted last month for one of many marginal leftist candidates who divided the traditionally powerful left.

“We are all here hoping that Chirac will win, even though he’s not my cup of tea,” Sebastien said.

The size of the anti-Le Pen demonstration reflected a sudden wave of activism after years of apathy, boredom and disgust with traditional politics, marchers said. They wondered, however, if this new political interest will endure, or simply evaporate after Sunday’s election.

Sarah White of The Times’ Paris Bureau contributed to this report.